Beyond Rome

42. Bonus Episode | Why Antisemitism is Moral Pornography by Mary Eberstadt

As one of the bonus episodes for Beyond Rome, we are sharing conversations from our conference, Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60.My Brother’s Keeper: Christians and the New Antisemitism by Mary Eberstadt, Founding Member of the Coalition of Catholics Against AntisemitismSupport Philos Catholic

41. Bonus Episode | We Are Spiritual Semites: The Witness of Cardinal John O’Connor with Sister Maris Stella

As one of the bonus episodes for Beyond Rome, we are sharing conversations from our conference, Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60.A biographical and theological reflection on O’Connor’s legacy and what it means for the Church today. Cardinal John O’Connor, Archbishop of New York from 1984 to 2000, was one of the most courageous and compassionate voices for Catholic-Jewish reconciliation in the post–Nostra Aetate era. A Navy chaplain turned prince of the Church, O’Connor combined pastoral sensitivity with moral clarity, publicly condemning antisemitism and forging deep relationships with Jewish leaders in New York and beyond. In his own words, “We are spiritual Semites. If we forget our Jewish brothers and sisters, we forget who we are.” This talk traces his powerful legacy—marked by humility, justice, and friendship—and its urgent relevance for the Church today.Support Philos Catholic

40. Bonus Episode | Why Should I Care About Jewish-Catholic Relations?

As one of the bonus episodes for Beyond Rome, we are sharing conversations from our conference, Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60.For many Catholics and Jews today, the idea of “interreligious dialogue” can feel abstract, irrelevant, or even suspect. And yet, at the heart of the Church’s renewed relationship with the Jewish people is something far deeper than diplomacy: a shared spiritual history, a wounded past, and a prophetic call to walk together in truth. This candid panel will tackle the real questions: Why should this friendship matter to Catholics today? Are Judaism and Catholicism actually related—or are they fundamentally separate faiths with little in common? What do we mean when we say “Judeo-Christian”? Can someone truly be a “Jewish Catholic”? How do we deal honestly with the difficult questions of mission, conversion, and reparation for past sins? And most importantly: what do Catholics and Jews need from each other now—not politically, but spiritually and culturally? Join us for a searching, unscripted conversation about how Catholics and Jews can move beyond mere dialogue toward a deeper, more demanding—and more hopeful—friendship.Panelists: Yael Freimann, Kathryn Wolf, Rabbi Joshua Stanton, Peter Wolfgang, Simone RizkallahModerator: Phil DolitskySupport Philos Catholic

39. Bonus Episode | The Gifts and the Calling Are Irrevocable: Toward a Catholic Zionism with Dr. Gavin D’Costa

As one of the bonus episodes for Beyond Rome, we are sharing conversations from our conference, Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60.This presentation explores the theological foundations of “minimalist Catholic Zionism”—a position grounded in fundamental Catholic doctrinal assertions about God’s covenant with the Jewish people. Built upon four essential building blocks, this framework maintains that the Jewish covenant is irrevocable, applies to Jews today, includes the promise of the land, and remains unannulled in the New Testament while being firmly rooted in Old Testament revelation. Rather than advocating for specific political policies, this minimalist approach focuses on irreducible theological truths that emerge from Catholic teaching about the permanence of God’s covenant relationships and the continuity of divine promises across salvation history. The talk examines how these doctrinal foundations provide a theological basis for Catholic support of Jewish connection to the Holy Land that transcends political considerations while remaining faithful to both Scripture and tradition, offering Catholics a way to engage with questions of Israel and the Jewish people that is rooted in theological conviction rather than political alignment.Support Philos Catholic

38. Bonus Episode | The Transmission of Anti-Semitism in Immigrant Communities with Luma Simms

As one of the bonus episodes for Beyond Rome, we are sharing conversations from our conference, Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60.This talk from Luma Simms explores the often-overlooked reality of how anti-Semitic attitudes are carried into the West through immigrant communities—both Muslim and Christian. Drawing on personal experience and a Catholic lens, Luma addresses the cultural and theological roots of anti-Semitism among Middle Eastern Christians and highlights how Western Christianity, particularly through the lens of Nostra Aetate, offers a path of reconciliation, renewal, and healing. This timely conversation invites a candid yet compassionate exploration of complex identities, inherited prejudices, and the Church’s unique role in confronting them.Support Philos Catholic